Helmet hire for track day

Slinkie · 11 Dec 2013 at 13:20

Hi all,

I have booked my first track day for this Saturday at Donington. One thing I didn't think about was that I might need a helmet. This information came through in the confirmation of my booking.

The mail says Donington do not hire out helmets, is there anywhere I can get one before the weekend? I don't know anyone else who would have one!

Thanks

Skeeter · 11 Dec 2013 at 13:24

Donnington don't, but the track day organizer might. Who is it with?

Slinkie · 11 Dec 2013 at 13:30

All I know is it's called Thunder in the Park. I found it through the owners club for focus st's. I can't find anything that suggests it has a seperate organiser than donington park

Skeeter · 11 Dec 2013 at 13:51

How random. I've never seen a track day where there were no helmets for hire.

Drop Gibbo on here a message, he's a regular at Donnington and may know more about the situation.

Duke · 11 Dec 2013 at 19:18

If you're going to do a few in the future, its worth getting your own helmet. Hiring is usually £10-20 a pop and you can get them for well under £100 and no nasty smells

Slinkie · 11 Dec 2013 at 19:33

This is my first one so want to see what it is like at first before I commit anything towards them. I have seen them online for around £45 but obviously it's very short notice and I'd like to try them on!

Slinkie · 11 Dec 2013 at 20:18

Is something like this suitable? It's near enough to me that I can go after work and get it sorted before Saturday. What makes a motorbike helmet differ from a open faced car helmet?

http://www.manchestermotorbikecentre.co.uk/buy_Nankai+Nankai+Open+Face+_167.html

Housey · 11 Dec 2013 at 20:32

In my opinion it is not worth cutting corners and I would always suggest a full face helmet in a road car on track. You should be able secure a decent full face for £70, I'd not try to do it on the cheap. If you get it wrong it will **** you off, if you have a proper off it could smash you face to bits in an open face in a road car.

Slinkie · 11 Dec 2013 at 20:48

but I'll be in my car? I'm only considering it for this track day, if I wanted to do it more often I would get a better one. It's not racing it's just hot laps and my car is safe enough without a helmet but rules are rules.

Duke · 11 Dec 2013 at 20:51

Yeah don't get open face. I've got the v2 Pro off here - http://www.v2sport.com - but probably more than you'd want to pay. I use it for karting (maybe 6 times a year) and trackdays.

Housey · 11 Dec 2013 at 21:28

Slinkie said:
but I'll be in my car? I'm only considering it for this track day, if I wanted to do it more often I would get a better one. It's not racing it's just hot laps and my car is safe enough without a helmet but rules are rules.

I'm well aware of the difference, I do both. I am trying to give you some solid advice, but if you know best, why ask?

Slinkie · 11 Dec 2013 at 21:31

Wow, have I hurt your feelings by asking a question? Feel free to cry if you have to.

My question was, since you missed it.

Since it is my first track day and I'm not sure I want to invest too much in something I might not want to pursue in the future surely an open faced helmet would do as i'm only using it in my car for hot laps, not racing?

Housey · 11 Dec 2013 at 21:40

Slinkie said:
Wow, have I hurt your feelings by asking a question? Feel free to cry if you have to.

My question was, since you missed it.

Since it is my first track day and I'm not sure I want to invest too much in something I might not want to pursue in the future surely an open faced helmet would do only using it in my car for hot laps, not racing?

Yea, I'm distraught and you obviously know best.

Slinkie · 11 Dec 2013 at 21:59

I still don't understand, I'm asking a question based on posters suggestions.

I would have thought since you obviously spend most of your life on here (nice post count by the way) you'd know how forums work and that when someone asks a questions it doesn't mean they know everything.

Thanks for the help though.

TaKeN · 11 Dec 2013 at 22:07

Maybe you should lose the attitude Slinkie?!

You aren't allowed open face helmets in open top vehicles. So if you want a passenger ride in an MX-5 for example, then you can't!

A full face helmet will also offer far greater protection if you manage to bin the car, which.. judging by your rude posting style, is rather likely to happen.

Housey · 11 Dec 2013 at 22:12

Slinkie said:
I still don't understand, I'm asking a question based on posters suggestions.

I would have thought since you obviously spend most of your life on here (nice post count by the way) you'd know how forums work and that when someone asks a questions it doesn't mean they know everything.

Thanks for the help though.

First off, don't patronise me.

Secondly you posted a link about a specific helmet to which I responded. I'm not sure why you are struggling with this. The fact it's you first track day, the fact that you are not going to go fast are all irrelevant to the point I am making. There will be people there who are not going to take it easy who could easily be into you before you know what happened, even more so if you are, as you quite clearly state, inexperienced.

An open face helmet does not provide as much protection as a full face helmet, it obvious and to me and extra £35 quid is money well spent to do it safer. You are very likely to have no problems at all but in a car without a full race harness where your head can move around a lot more the likelihood of smashing your jaw to bits is significantly greater in an open faced helmet compared to a full face and THAT is my point. For an extra £35 it's money well spent, even more so if you get the bug for track days.

Skeeter · 12 Dec 2013 at 09:43

Nismo · 12 Dec 2013 at 10:37

Wow.

OP asks for advice.

OP gets (very) sound advice.

OP gets shirty with those who have given said sound advice.

:confused:

Doesn't matter if you're only doing 30mph round Donington and only going once, you should have a full helmet to protect that squidgy bit between your ears.

Slinkie · 12 Dec 2013 at 11:45

Not at all

OP asks for advice

Advice is given

OP questions advice using the criteria given in the open post that was ignored

OP is berated by internet heroes.

It's been fun, I don't expect anything else from here though. I've asked asked the question else where and getting good advice.

howler · 12 Dec 2013 at 11:48

Slinkie said:
Is something like this suitable? It's near enough to me that I can go after work and get it sorted before Saturday. What makes a motorbike helmet differ from a open faced car helmet?

http://www.manchestermotorbikecentre.co.uk/buy_Nankai+Nankai+Open+Face+_167.html

Motorbike helmets aren't designed for the same type of impacts that you get in a car

Typically bike helmets are designed to take a large single impact whereas car helmets are designed for multiple smaller impacts while your head bounces off the inside of your car / roll cage